Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) approval rating is plummeting among Kentuckians as national reciprocity languishes on the sidelines. National reciprocity for concealed carry was introduced by Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC) on January 3, 2017, and a companion bill was introduced in the Senate by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX). The bills would treat concealed carry permits like driver’s licenses, thereby fixing the cumbersome patchwork of concealed carry laws that must now be confronted by law-abiding citizens who drive state to state.For example, a concealed permit holder from Kentucky can carry his gun for self-defense in Indiana and Missouri, but cannot legally carry it for self-defense in Illinois. This makes a concealed carry permit holder’s drive from Louisville, Kentucky, to St. Louis, Missouri, difficult at best, as I-64 cuts through Indiana and Illinois before reaching St. Louis. National reciprocity would fix this mess by making the permit of one state valid in every state.Yet McConnell has been on the sidelines for this one. In fact, on August 13, Breitbart News reported that McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) were both mum on national reciprocity.A poll from Public Policy Polling shows that McConnell’s approval rating among Kentuckians sits at 18 percent. The questions in the poll revolve around McConnell’s failure to lead on healthcare, yet, in pro-gun Kentucky, inaction on a Second Amendment agenda is not going to help.Gun Owners of America’s executive director Erich Pratt spoke to Breitbart News about McConnell’s inaction on national reciprocity, saying:There is tremendous angst in the grassroots right now. We hear constantly from our members and activists who are asking, “Why hasn’t Congress done anything with concealed carry reciprocity?” No one wants to see any more Shaneen Allen’s, who are raked over the legal coals, simply because they were peacefully exercising their right to bear arms in a neighboring state.Reciprocity bills have been introduced in Congress for over a decade. It’s time to send this legislation to President Trump’s desk—who has promised to sign it!By the way, people might now understand why Gun Owners of America supported Mitch McConnell’s opponent, Matt Bevin, in the 2014 primary. Kentucky is an extremely pro-gun state—just look at its other Senator, Rand Paul. There’s no reason why the Blue Grass State should fail to send a pro-gun Senator to Washington who is cut from the same cloth as Sen. Paul.Breitbart News reached out to McConnell’s office but received no comment.

AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of Bullets with AWR Hawkins, a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at You are not allowed to view links.
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During a Monday morning conversation with Breitbart News, Gun Owners of America’s Larry Pratt said Speaker Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) inaction on concealed carry reciprocity gives “dirtbags” the upper hand. Pratt specifically referenced the June 14, 2017, Alexandria, Virginia, attack where Congressmen and their staffers had to travel without guns in and out of the District of Columbia in order to comply with gun control laws. As a result, they were unarmed when the attacker opened fire on a Congressional baseball practice.Pratt said, “DC gun laws led directly to facilitating that dirtbag’s attack.” He added:I would say Ryan deserves a lion’s share of the blame. Senate Majority Leader McConnell (R-KY) too. Because Rep. Richard Hudson’s (R-NC) bill, would have legally made it almost inconceivable for the dirtbag to have struck at that practice because a bunch of conservative members and staffers probably–if they had not been legally precluded–you can figure ten, 15, or 20 percent of them would have been packing. And the first bullet that flew from the dirtbag would have been met by return fire. That may not have made a difference for Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA), because I think he was dreadfully wounded with the first round, but it certainly would have kept some of the others from being wounded.Pratt’s observation echoes words spoken by Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) after the attack. Loudermilk made clear that his staffer would have had a gun in the car at Congressional baseball practice were it not for the silly patchwork of concealed carry reciprocity laws in this country. The Hill quoted Loudermilk, saying:Until you are shot at, you don’t know what the feeling is to be that vulnerable. Someone actively shooting at you; targeting you. Trying to shoot you and you have no way of defending yourself. In Georgia we have a concealed carry law that allows individual citizens to keep a weapon with them and in their car. Had my staff member who was (at Congressional baseball practice) been in Georgia he would have normally carried a weapon in his car.It must be noted that the Alexandria attacker acquired his firearms legally. The ATF confirmed that the attacker—who was from Illinois—purchased his firearms at gun stores where a background check is conducted by a Federal Firearms License holder. And Breitbart News reported the New York Times‘ admission that strict Illinois gun control failed to keep the attacker from acquiring guns.In the end, gun control does not keep guns out of the hands of evil people, but it does keep them out of the hands of law-abiding Americans—including Congressmen—when guns are most needed for self-defense. Reciprocity legislation introduced in the House on January 3, 2017, could correct these issues but Ryan has shown no interest in pushing it through.On September 7, 2017, Breitbart News reported that Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY)—sponsor of a DC reciprocity measure—told Armed American Radio that reciprocity was not moving because “the Speaker … didn’t think the timing was right.”How many times must gun control fail before Ryan and the rest of the ruling class realize the time has never been more right? A change in reciprocity would give law-abiding citizens the upper hand for a change.

AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of Bullets with AWR Hawkins, a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at You are not allowed to view links.
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I maintain, it will never happen. The country is too big, with too many self-important states who think their little consensus is superior to that of Americans in general, and full of far too many pussies. Don't get me wrong: I will be surprised if it doesn't pass for the ruling elite political class, a la Kalifornia, but for you and me? I greet any optimism with hilarity.